Vibrator



p 1961 E. F. PETERSON 2,999,393

VIBRATOR Filed Feb. 13. 1959 TTIT l hl ll ATTORNEY United States Patent2,999,393 VBRATGR Edwin F. Peterson, Martin Eng. (10., Neponset, H1.Filed Feb. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 793,088 15 Claims. (Cl. 74-87) Thisinvention relates to improvements in vibrators of the class employed increating agitating, settling, moving, shaking and like forces instructures or objects containing or handling fluent materials, and hasfor its principal object the provision of a highly commerciallydesirable vibrator of compact and relatively inexpensive light-weightdesign in proportion to its capacity.

It is a significant and none-'the-less important object to provide avibrator of the centrifugal or rotating-weight type as distinguishedfrom the reciprocating-piston types, which are extremely noisy and whichare primarily limited in operation to pneumatic driving sources. Afurther object of the invention resides in the provision of a vibratorso designed that it may be driven by a variety of driving sources,including but not limited to such sources as pneumatic motors andelectric motors of either the singleor poly-phase types. In thisrespect, the improved design provides for coaxial connection of theweight-driving shaft to driving sources of the above character, theweight shaft being hollow to telescopically receive a driving shaft. Itis also an object of the invention to provide speed-reduction drivemeans adapting the vibrator to be driven at acceptable speeds even bydriving sources having different speeds, and primarily by substantiallyhigher-speed sources such as universal electric motors and the like.

Of further significance is the vibrator design featuring means formounting same directly on the object or structure to be vibrated, whichmeans is centered in a plane that is radial to the weight shaft axis andthat passes through the center of mass of the weight whereby to transmitforces directly rather than in devious paths. The improved vibrator is,according to this invention, additionally equipped with means forsupporting directly thereon any one of several driving sources asdistinguished from mounting the vibrator on the driving source which isin turn mounted on the object to be vibrated.

Further features reside in a compact design which is relatively thin asmeasured axially of the weight shaft and relatively wide as measuredradially of said shaft, thereby reducing the size of the vibrator in onedirection but affording ample size in the perpendicular direction forimproving the direct mounting of the vibrator on Whatever is to bevibrated. In this regard, the mounting means takes the form of slottedmounting blocks or pads having securing devices cooperative therewith toafford clamp means for readily mounting and dismounting the vibratorwith or without its directly supported drive means.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable featuresinherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent tothose versed in the art as preferred embodiments of the invention aredisclosed by Way of example in the ensuing description and accompanyingdrawing, the several figures of which are described immediately below.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of the improved vibrator mounting and poweredby a pneumatic motor.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevation with portions broken away and shown insection.

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view illustrating the basic vibrator structureof FIGURES 1-3 equipped with ratiochanging drive means and mounting adiiferent type of driving source. -;The basic vibrator comprises acasing having side walls 12 and 14 and peripheral means 16 and is hereof 2,999,393 Patented Sept. 12, 1961 such design as to be ideally suitedto its fabrication as a weldment, and the opposite side walls 12 and 14are similar parallel steel plates having lower coterminous preferablystraight bottom edges 18 and 20, the term bottoml' being here employedby way of illustration and not limitation. The means 16 includes a steelstrip shaped in arch form as shown, having a semi-circular portion 22and straight legs 24. The arched strip spans the plates and is weldedthereto along its edges at 26 and 28.

The strip is relatively narrow to give the casing a relatively thinaspect as measured laterally of the casing, but the plates, as measuredalong their bottom edges 18 and 20 are relatively wide. Spaced apartlengthwise of the bottom edges of the plates are two steel mountingblocks or pads '30 and 32, each received between the proximate cornersof the plates and welded thereto as at 34 and each being further weldedat 36 to the legs 22 of the U-shaped strip 16. The nature of thisconstruction provides a sturdy compact casing, relatively inexpensiveand having a high strength-to-weight ratio. The plates, strip and blockscomblue to establish the casing as having a hollow interior and thespacing between the blocks affords a bottom opening 38 through whichaccess may be had to the casing interior, as for assembly of theinterior components to be presently described. Closure means in the formof a covor plate 40 normally closes the opening 38, being removablyretained in place by having one edge portion thereof formed as a lip 42received in a groove 44 in one mounting block and its opposite endportion apertured to receive a cap screw 46 threaded into a tapped lugor extension 48 on the other block. The groove-received lip 42. may beinitially bent downwardly away from the general plane of the cover plateso as to require that, after the lip is inserted into the groove 44, thecover plate be forced into place, thus achieving at least a slightradially outward bias therein which aids in preventing loosening of thescrew 46. The cover plate is here shown as being partly arcuate ingeneral conformance with the curvature of the U-shaped strip 16. 1

The mounting blocks are slotted in longitudinal alinement at 5 0 toafiord means for mounting the vibrator on a structure or object to bevibrated, as suggested at 52 in FIGURES 2-4. Each block has tapped bores54 and these selectively receive threaded securing devices such as capscrews 56 which cooperate with the slots to afford clamp means by whichthe vibrator is securely but releasably mounted, as will be brought outbelow.

Upper corner portions of the casing plates 12 and 14 project beyond thestrip or band 16 and receive legs 58 on a carrying handle 60, which issecured in place as by nuts 62 threaded on the legs 56.

The plate 12 has a circular aperture 64 therein generally centrallythereof as respects the circle on which the are 20 of the strip 16 lies,and a bearing ring 66 is received in this aperture and welded to theplate at 68. This construction is repeated in the other plate, which hasa coaxial aperture 70 and welded-in ring 72. The rings 66 and 72respectively carry suitable anti-friction bearings '74 and 76 forjournaling a cross shaft 7 8.

This shaft carries for rotation therewith, as by a press fit, a hub 8iwhich abuts the inner race rings of both bearings 74, and an externalretainer cap 82 is secured as by cap screws 84 to the ring 66, beingshaped as shown to enable recessing of a lubricant fitting 86 leading tothe bearing 74. The relationship of the other end of the shaft 78 toexternal means will be described subsequently.

The hub has a web or arm 88 secured thereto as by welding at 90 and thisarm in turn rigidly carries a weight 92 of appropriate size, shape andmass. When the shaft 78 is rotated, the weight 92, which is eccentric tothe shaft axis, is rotated in the enclosed orbit defined by the interiorof the casing, and the forces thus created are transmitted to the objector structure to be vibrated (-as at 52, FIGURE 3) via the mounting meansconstituted by the blocks or pads 30 and 32. These pads, andparticularly the slots 59 therein, are centered in a plane radial to theaxis of the shaft 78 and passing through the center of mass of theweight 92, as indicated by the line C-C (FIGURE 3). Thus the transmittedforces travel directly and not by ofiset or devious paths to thestructure on which the casing 10 is mounted. The weight assembly80-82-92 is installed through the bottom 3-8 of the casing and the shaft73 is inserted axially via the plate apertures 64 and 70, being forcedinto the hub 80 and properly located and received by the bearings 74 and76. The casing is of course subsequently closed by the cap 82 and coverplate 40. In the initial stages of fabrication of the casing, access maybe had through the opening 33 to accomplish the welds inside the casing.

It is a feature of the invention that the vibrator is directly mountableon structure to be vibrated, as distinguished from indirect mountings asvia being mounted on a motor or the like which is itself mounted on thestructure or object. It is a corollary feature that the casing 10 heresupports the driving source and there? fore such source is independentof direct support by the vibrated structure, thus further contributingto the die rect transmission of centrifugal effects to such structure bythe vibrator. In this aspect, the invention exploits the advantages ofthe rotary or centrifugal principle as opposed to reciprocating-pistontypes of vibrators and thereby eliminates undue noise, reduces theexpenses of design, and construction and maintenance and enables the useof a more compact and sturdier unit.

0f still further importance, the invention provides for driving of theshaft 78 by any of a variety of power or driving sources and in the samevein provides means for supporting any of such sources directly on thecasing.

One example of a driving source is shown at 94 in FIGURES l and 3, whichis here representative of any welbknown air or pneumatic motor having adriving shaft 96 coaxially connectible to the vibrator shaft 78 which,for this purpose, is hollow and has one end 98 exposed to or accessibleat the apertured plate 14, at which point this plate has means thereonfor supporting the air motor 94 as well as any of a variety of othermotors and the like, as will presently appear.

An external ring 100 serves as a spacer between theplate 14 and acoaxial support 102, the ring being welded to the plate 14 and thesupport 102 being removably secured to the ring by cap screws 106. Themotor 94 is in turn coaxially carried on the support 102 as by capscrews 108. The coaxial or telescopic connection between the motor shaft96 and the vibrator shaft 78 includes a driving key 110. The support102, or other supports readily interchangeable therewith, may be used tomount different types of driving sources, notably electric motors.

In those cases in which a particular motor, such as a poly-phase type ofadequate capacity, has a speed rating, say 3450 r.p.m., adequate for theparticular size, etc. of the vibrator, the motor may be mountedsimilarly to the mounting of the air motor and its shaft will of coursebe coaxially connected to the shaft 78 at 9 8110. In other words, theelectric motor is simply substituted for the air motor. In either case,the motor will of course be directly supported on the casing inoverhanging relation to the plane C-C. However, experience withvibrators constructed according to the invention has shown that theoverhang is negligible as a disturbing factor in the use and operationof the vibrator.

The support 102 has a lubricant passage 112 leading to the bearing 76and supplied by afitting 114.

FIGURE 4 shows a design adaptation in which the vibrator of FIGURES 1-3may be driven by a relatively high-speed driving source, suchas asingle-phase universa-l electric motor 116 and distinguished from thesomewhat lower speed air motor 94 or equivalent lower speed electricmotors. High-speed motors of the type referred to attain speeds in theorder of 24,000 r.p.m., of 15,000 rpm. under load. Such speeds are foundto be too high for vibrators of the present nature, but since suchmotors have other characteristics that are acceptable and evendesirable, the invention provides means adapting the motor to thevibrator. This means is a speed-reduction drive means, designated at118, and housed in a housing 120 that is substituted for the previouslydescribed support 102 and secured to thering by the cap screws 106. Likethe support 102, the housing 120 is a motor support supporting the motor116, as by bolts or cap screws 122, but, unlike the support 102, has theadded function of containing the speedreduction means 118, which ispreferably epicyclic gearing having a sun gear 12-4, a planet carrier126, planet pinions 128 and a ringgear 130. This ring gear may be asteel insert having a press or equivalent fit into the housing 120 andis therefore fixed. The sun gear 124 is keyed or otherwise fixed to orformed on the output shaft 132 of the motor 116 and the reduction issuch that when the sun gear is driven, the planets roll around thestationary ring gear 130 and drive the carrier at a reduced speed, here,by way of example, onefifth that of the motor shaft 132. The carrier isjournaled at 134 in the housing 120 and has a coaxial shaft 136telescopically received by the hollow end 98 of the vibrator shaft 78and keyed thereto by the key in the same manner as the motor shaft ofany direct drive motor, such as the shaft 96 of the previously describedmotor. The interchangeability of motors and of the support 102 andhousing will be readily appar out. Of course, the speed ratio maybevaried accord ing to requirements and other types of reduction or evenover-drive means may be employed. That shown is but representative.However, the epicyclic type has the advantage of compactness and in thatrespect contributes to one of the principal features of the invention;

It will be noted that. each of the mounting pads 30, 32 has two setscrews 56 and these are disposed in opposed relation so as to engage theweb 52, for example from opposite sides. The significance here isthat abetter grip or bite ofthe vibrator on the object to be vibrated issecured than would be possible by the use of'one set screw, since inthesupposed case friction only would have to be relied on. In the actualcase as disclosed,,the points of the set screws bite into the web andthus keep the vibrator from walking" 0d the web. These set screws areconventionally of high quality alloy steel ofsubstantial hardness. Thoseshown have conical ends or points but it iscontemplated also that othertypesmay' be employed; for example, those having ends in the form ofcircularrims or so-called hollow-end types. Also, the slots 50, are wideenough so that they are not.completely filled by the web 52, which thusavoids difficulty that might be experienced in deliberate removal of thevibrator from the web in instances in which the web becomes mashed,peened or otherwise distorted from the compressive and biting action ofthe set screws.

Regardless of the nature of the driving source, the assembled unit ofvibrator-and driver is light in weight and readily handled by the handle60 and thus is easily mounted on, and dismounted from the-structuretobevibrated. The compactness of design enables weight reductions up to 30%or more of known types .andithis, plus the exploitation of thecentrifugal principle=and the relation of-th'e mounting means to thecenter ofmass of the weight makes this novel vibrator highlycommercially acceptable.

Features and advantages other than those enumerated will readily occurto those versed in the art, as will many modifications in the preferredembodimentsshown, all

of which are embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apartparallel similar plates having coterminous lower edges and at least oneplate having an aperture therethrough substantially centrally therof onan axis normal to the plates, each plate additionally having oppositegenerally upright end edges and a top edge, said end edges meeting andrising respectively from said lower edge at a pair of lower corners andmeeting said top edge at a pair of upper corners; a pair of mountingblocks spaced apart lengthwise of said lower edges and rigidly securedto said plates respectively at said lower corners and respectivelyincluding means for mounting the vibrator on an object to be vibrated;wall means spanning and rigidly joined to the plates and being in theform of an inverted U having opposite legs secured respectively to theblocks and a bight extending from one leg to the other generally in theform of a partial annulus about the aforesaid axis, said wall meansbeing so dimensioned that the upper corners project beyond said bightand said wall means defining with the plates and blocks a hollow casinghaving a bottom opening afforded by the space between the blocks; a pairof bearing means respectively on the plates and coaxial with saidaperture; a shaft coaxially journaled in the bearing means and extendingacross the interior of said casing; weight means within the casingeccentrically of the shaft and connected to the shaft for rotation aboutthe shaft axis in an orbit partially closed peripherally by the wmlmeans, said shaft having an end portion exposed at said aperture forcoaxial connection to a driving source; handle means connected to theupper corners where said corners project beyond said bight; and closuremeans spanning the lower edges of the plates and extending between andremovably secured to the blocks for normally closing said bottom openingand removable to afiord access to the interior of the casing.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, including: means on the aperturedplate for supporting a driving source directly on the casing in coaxialrelation to said exposed end portion of the shaft.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the plates are closelyspaced apart axially of the shaft to give said casing a relatively thinaxial dimension, and the mounting blocks are relatively widely spacedapart to give said casing a relatively long dimension as measured in theplane of rotation of the weight means.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: the mounting blocks aresubstantially centered on a plane radial to the shaft axis and passingthrough the center of mass of the weight means.

5. The invention defined in claim 4, in which: the blocks are slottedlengthwise thereof in said plane to facilitate mounting of the vibratoron an object to be vibrated.

6. The invention defined in claim 5, in which: each block includes asecuring device cooperative with its slot to afford clamp means formounting the vibrator.

7. A vibrator adapted for mounting on an object to be vibrated,comprising: a vibrator housing; vibrator means carried by the housing;and means for mounting the vibrator housing on such object, including apair of housing-carried portions spaced apart to receive part of theobject loosely between them and a pair of opposed screws, one threadedlyreceived in and passing through each portion, and tightenable to gripsaid part, each screw having an end configured to bite into said part.

8. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apartparallel similar plates having coterminous lower edges and at least oneplate having an aperture therethrough substantially centrally thereof onan axis normal to the plates, each plate additionally having oppositegenerally upright end edges and a top edge,

said end edges meeting and rising respectively from said lower edge at apair of lower corners and meeting said top edge at a pair of uppercorners; a pair of mounting blocks spaced apart lengthwise of said loweredges and rigidly secured to said plates respectively at said lowercorners and respectively including means for mounting the vibrator on anobject to be vibrated; wall means spanning and rigidly joined to theplates and being in the form of an inverted U having opposite legssecured respectively to the blocks and a bight extending from one leg tothe other generally in the form of a partial annulus about the aforesaidaxis, said wall means being so dimensioned that the upper cornersproject beyond said bight and said wall means defining with the platesand blocks a hollow casing having a bottom opening defined by the loweredges of the plates and the blocks; a pair of hearing means respectivelyon the plates and coaxial with said aperture; a shaft coaxiallyjournaled in the bearing means and extending across the interior of saidcasing; weight means within the casing eccentrically of the shaft andconnected to the shaft for rotation about the shaft axis in an orbitpartially closed peripherally by the wall means, said shaft having anend portion exposed at said aperture for coaxial connection to a drivingsource; and handle means connected to the upper corners where saidcorners project beyond said bight.

9. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apartparallel similar plates having coter-. minous lower edges; each plateadditionally having opposite generally upright end edges and a top edge,said end edges meeting and rising respectively from said lower edge at apair of lower corners and meeting said top edge at a pair of uppercorners; a pair of mounting blocks spaced apart lengthwise of said loweredges and rigidly secured to said plates respectively at said lowercorners and respectively including means for mounting the vibrator on anobject to be vibrated; wall means spanning and rigidly joined to theplates and being in the form of an inverted U having opposite legssecured respectively to the blocks and a bight extending from one leg tothe other generally in the form of a partial annulus about the aforesaidaxis, said wall means being so dimensioned that the upper cornersproject beyond said bight and said wall means defining with the platesand blocks a hollow casing having a bottom opening defined by the loweredges of the plates and the blocks; weight means within and carried bythe casing for vibratory operation to impart vibrations to the casing;and closure means spanning the lower edges of the plates and extendingbet-ween and removably secured to the blocks for normally closing saidbottom opening and removable to afford access to the interior of thecasing.

10. The invention defined in claim 4, in which: each slotted block has aportion at each side of the slot providing an ear, the ears on eachblock having tapped bores coaxial on an axis transverse to said plane,and each bore receiving a screw device, each device having anobjectengaging end configured to bite into the object to improve itsengagement therewith.

11. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of relativelyclosely spaced apart rigid plates of generally similar configuration andhaving coterminous lower edges and side and top edge portions extendingperipherally respectively about said plates, at least one of said plateshaving an aperture substantially centrally thereof and said lower edgesrespectively having opposed lower corners spaced apart in the planes ofthe plates a distance several times the transverse distance between theplates; a pair of mounting blocks located respectively at and welded tosaid corners and each block including means for mounting the vibrator onan object to be vibrated; wall means spanning the plates and being inthe form of an inverted U having opposite terminal ends weldedrespectively to the mounting blocks, said wall means having transverselyopposite edges welded respectively to the plates and extending in theform of a partial annulus about the aforesaid aperture, generallyfollowing the peripheral edge portions of said plates to define withtheplates and blocks an integral relatively light-weight casing in whichthe space between the blocks and the lateral space between the loweredges of the plates affords a relatively small access opening to theinterior of said casing; first bearing means coaxially mounted in theaforesaid aperture; second bearing means mounted on the other platecoaxially with the first bearing means; shaft means journaled in saidbearing means; weight means carried by said shaft means for rotationwithin the casing, said weight means being so dimensioned as to becapable of being inserted and withdrawn through said access opening whenthe shaft is axially withdrawn from the bearing means, said weight meansfurther having a radial dimension such as to operate in close clearancerelation with the partial annulus formed by said wall means and havingsuch transverse dimension as to operate in close clearance relation withthe opposed interior surfaces of the plates; and closure means spanningthe lower edges of the plates and extending between the blocks andremovably carried by said casing to afford access to said casing forremoval and installation of the weight means.

12. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: the blocks arerespectively provided with slots coplanar in a plane parallel to theplates and midway between said plates, and each block has securing meansthereon opera, tive to engage an object to be vibrated in a directiontransverse to the plane of rotation ofthe weight means.

- 13. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: the plate having theaperture has a bearing means mounting member welded thereto, the otherplate has a similar member welded thereto, and the bearings means arerespectively carried in said members.

14. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: the shaft means is atleast partially tubular and has an open end opening axially outwardly ofthe casing via said aperture.

15. The invention defined in claim 11, in which the weight means has ahub apertured to receive the shaft and said hub has opposite endportions abutting the respective bearing means to limit endwise movementof said weight means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS776.036 Swift Nov. 29, 1904 1,017,840 Amet Feb. 20, 1912 1,676,285Prel-l July 10, 1928 2,054,253 Horsch Sept. 15, 1936 2,212,818 StoltzfusAug. 27, 1940 2,471,849 Wallace May 31, 1949 2,505,753 Cleveland May 2,1950

